Abstract
BackgroundThe main objective is to examine how the Paraguayan laws, policies and regulations (hereafter referred to as normative guidance) specifically address adolescents and their contraceptive information and service needs using a human rights analytic framework. It must be noted that this paper examines the adolescent content of national laws, policies and regulations on contraception, not how they were applied.MethodsThe recommendations on “Ensuring human rights in the provision of contraceptive information and services” from the World Health Organization (WHO) were used as an analytic framework to assess current Paraguayan laws, policies and regulations. Three questions were explored: 1) whether the Paraguayan normative guidance relating to each WHO recommendation was present and specifically addressed adolescents 2) whether the normative guidance for each WHO recommendation was present but did not specifically address adolescents, or 3) whether Paraguayan normative guidance relating to each WHO recommendation was absent. This assessment led to the development of an analytic table which was used by the co-authors to generate conclusions and recommendations.ResultsThe analysis found specific normative guidance for adolescents relating to six out of nine WHO summary recommendations and nine out of the 24 sub-recommendations. The guidance included strategies to overcome contraceptive service barriers and to improve access for displaced populations. Further, it supported gender-sensitive counselling, quality assurance processes, competency-based training, and monitoring and evaluation of programmes.ConclusionsParaguay’s contraception laws and policies are grounded in human rights principles. However, there are a number of aspects that need to be addressed in order to improve the quality of contraceptive provision and access for adolescents. Our recommendations include improving accessibility of contraceptive information and services, ensuring acceptability, quality, and accountability of contraceptive information and services, and promoting community and adolescent participation in contraceptive programmes and service delivery.
Highlights
The main objective is to examine how the Paraguayan laws, policies and regulations address adolescents and their contraceptive information and service needs using a human rights analytic framework
There are a number of aspects that need to be addressed in order to improve the quality of contraceptive provision and access to adolescents
It contains over 120 measures targeting the eight priority areas in follow up to the Programme of Action of the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo in 1994
Summary
The rights of adolescents to health, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is guaranteed in the National Constitution of Paraguay and in international treaties signed and ratified by the country. This document contains a series of inter-governmental agreements to strengthen the implementation of population and development issues beyond 2014 It contains over 120 measures targeting the eight priority areas in follow up to the Programme of Action of the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo in 1994. The Consensus was signed by 38 member countries and associate members of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) including Paraguay, thereby reiterating their joint commitment to overcoming health inequities and to ensuring gender equality and the exercise of sexual and reproductive rights. Measures to promote and safeguard SRH include access to sexuality education, effective contraception including emergency contraception, appropriate management of unwanted pregnancies, and post-abortion healthcare [1]
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